Green Living: Your Home

Make your own laundry detergent

Liquid Laundry Detergent

• Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
  ½ Cup Borax

• Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
• Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
• Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
• Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
• Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
• Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine

• Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)